Pap smear is not used to detect HPV virus itself. Pap smear is used to detect dysplasia (precancer) or cancer that results from HPV virus. The HPV virus can remain dormant for many years and not cause any detectable changes on the pap smear. Most HPV infections disappear without treatment, as the body's immune system fights the infection.

Reply to Physician's Post: I have recently been diagnosed with hpv, but not the ones that cause warts. I have been with the same person for over 12 years could this have been in my body longer than 12 years?

Yes it can last in a person's body for longer than 12 years and yet not cause any detectable changes. In fact it can remain dormant for the entire lifetime of a person without causing any symptoms or detectable changes in the pap smear.

I will tell you that...the things you have to go through to be an Expert are quite rigorous.

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